Field Trip to Niagara Falls

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by Geronimo Stilton


  They are very far from Mouse Island. The

  flight was the longest one of my life. Well,

  OK, maybe it wasn’t the longest,

  but it was the worst. That’s

  because . . .

  Sakura smeared ice cream on my tie

  .

  .

  .

  David pulled out one of my whiskers

  .

  .

  .

  Scampers spilled orange juice on my computer

  .

  .

  .

  Scampers spilled orange juice on my

  computer.

  Sakura smeared ice cream on my tie.

  David pulled out one of my whiskers.

  Carmen knocked down my suitcase.

  Esmeralda squeaked my ear off.

  Tim asked me

  317

  times, “Are we

  there yet?”

  The whole time I tried

  desperately to read my

  book on Niagara Falls.

  Tim asked me 317 times

  .

  .

  .

  Carmen knocked down my suitcase

  .

  .

  .

  Esmeralda squeaked and squeaked

  .

  .

  .

  Niagara Falls

  Located at the border of the United States (on the east)

  and Canada (on the west), the falls are formed by the

  waters of the Niagara River. During the journey from

  Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, the river suddenly drops

  more than 180 feet to the level of the riverbed, forming

  falls unique in their power.

  There are actually two different falls at Niagara. On

  the Canadian side there is Horseshoe Falls, approxi-

  mately 2,500 feet wide, while Rainbow Falls, on the

  American side, is approximately 1,000 feet in width.

  In the winter, the river freezes, but the falls do not

  because they are in continuous movement.

  Every second, more than 790,000 gallons of water fall!

  Niagara Falls is also a precious source of electri-

  cal energy. Approximately 50 percent of the water (at

  night, 75 percent) is directed to the hydroelectric power

  plants that supply the United States

  and Canada with electricity.

  But the power of the water

  is creating a problem for the

  future of the falls. In the past

  12,000 years, the water run-

  ning over the rocks has eroded

  them and shifted the falls by

  almost seven miles.

  Niagara Falls

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  RAINBOW

  FALLS

  HORSESHOE

  FALLS

  CANADIAN

  FALLS

  Whirlpool Rapids Bridge

  Rainbow Bridge

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  Maid of

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  Falls Avenue

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  AMERICAN

  FALLS

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  GRAND

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  ISLAND

  MaP oF

  Niagara Falls

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  A BIT OF HISTORY . . .

  THE ERA OF EXPLORATION

  For centuries, only the Native Americans who lived at

  what is now the border between the United States and

  Canada knew about the spectacular falls. The first official

  news of their exis tence dates back to the second half of

  the sixteenth century. The man who made them famous

  was Louis Hennepin, a Belgian monk who was part of an

  expedition or ga nized by the French explorer René-Robert

  Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle. The expedition arrived at

  the falls in December 1678, and

  its members were mesmerized by

  their size and grandeur.

  At that time, the falls had

  a drop in level of more than

  590 feet and carried twice

  as much water as they

  do now.

  THE FIRST

  TOURISTS

  Tourism was slow to

  arrive. One of the

  first important vis-

  its occurred in 1791,

  when the duke of Kent

  (father of the future

  Queen Victoria of

  En gland) stayed at the

  only building in the area: a small wooden hut!

  The first groups of tourists began arriving during the

  mid-1800s. The falls continued to attract important

  guests, such as Jerome Bonaparte, brother of the famous

  Napoleon. He came from New Orleans on his honeymoon.

  From that moment on, Niagara Falls became a popular

  destination for couples on their honeymoon.

  24

  everyOne,

  except Me!

  Just before our plane landed, the captain

  made an announcement.

  “

  Attention

  ,

  rodents: We are now

  passing over the

  famouse Niagara

  Falls. Take a look out

  your window if you

  would like to see a

  truly spectacular view of the falls,” he advised.

  Everyone wanted to see the falls.

  Everyone leaped to the window.

  Everyone saw the spectacular view.

  EXCEPT ME!

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  25

  I was being suffocated by a throng of

  screaming, jumping mouselets. They had

  pressed

  themselves up against my window. I

  couldn’t move. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t

  see a thing!

  Finally, the plane landed. We were in

  Toronto, Canada. From there, we climbed

  on a bus. We rode on the bus for about an

  hour and a half

  . Then we arrived at the

  falls.

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  26

  As we pulled up, the driver made an

  announcement: “We have now reached

  the famouse Niagara Falls. Look out your

  window if you would like to see a truly

  spectacular view of the falls

  ,” he said.

  Everyone wanted to see the falls.

  Everyone leaped to the window.

  Everyone saw the spectacular view.

  ExcEpt mE!

  A throng of screaming mouselets was

  “

  L

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  ”

  ExcEpt

  mE

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  ExcEpt

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  ExcEpt

  mE

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  ExcEpt

  mE

  !

  crawling all over me. They

  plastered

  themselves

  up against my window. I couldn’t move. I

  couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t see a thing!

  The bus stopped. I got off. The roaring

  sound

  of the falls was incredible.

  I tried to take a picture.

  Everyone wanted to take a picture of

  the falls.

  Everyone got his or her camera ready.

  Everyone snapped away at the falls.

  ExcEpt mE!

  Oh, if only I could get away from those

  screaming mouselets. They were all

  over me! I couldn’t move. I couldn’t breathe.

  I couldn’t see a thing!

  The bus took us to

  the city of Niagara

  Falls on the lake. It

  was already dark.

  !

  ExcEpt

  mE

  !

  28

  I DO nOt KnOw hOw

  tO set up a tent!

  What a day! I was

  tired

  . I was hungry.

  I stumbled off the bus. I couldn’t wait

  to sink into a nice soft bed. I couldn’t

  wait to put on my fluffy cat-fur slippers. I

  couldn’t wait to order from room service.

  “Is the hot
el nearby?” I yawned. “I’m

  pooped.”

  Miss Angel Paws looked shocked.

  “Hotel? Why, Mr. Geronimo, we have

  come to enjoy the great outdoors. We’re not

  going to a hotel. We’re going to c a m p

  o u t

  ,” she squeaked.

  My eyes opened wide. I looked around.

  Miss Angel Paws wasn’t joking. We were

  standing in the middle of the wilderness!

  29

  quick

  Did I mention I’m not much of an outdoor

  mouse?

  “Um, yes, well, who’s going to set up the

  tents?” I stammered.

  Miss Angel Paws rolled her eyes.

  “You are, of course, Mr. Geronimo,” she

  said.

  I made a calculation: There were

  t

  w

  en

  t

  y

  -four

  of us. Each tent would

  hold

  four

  mice. That meant I had to set up

  six

  tents for the little mice. Then we would

  need

  one

  tent for me and

  one

  for

  Miss

  Angel Paws

  . Plus, we needed

  one

  big

  tent for all of us to eat breakfast in.

  Holey cheese! I couldn’t set up nine

  tents!

  Just then, the little mice began whining.

  “Come on! We’re tired!”

  I couldn’t make heads or tails of the tents.

  I do Not KNow How to Set Up a teNt!

  31

  I set up one tent inside out. I zipped myself

  up in another and couldn’t get out. Then I

  whacked my paw with a hammer.

  “I give up!” I screeched.

  Did I mention I’m not much of an outdoor

  mouse? I sat down on a rock. I took off my

  glasses so I could sob freely.

  Just then, my little nephew Benjamin

  whispered in my ear.

  “Call Aunt Thea. She always knows what

  to do,” he suggested.

  I dried my tears. “Good idea,” I agreed.

  I guess you could say my sister, Thea, is the

  opposite of me. She loves a challenge.

  A half hour later, after I talked to Thea on

  the phone, all of the tents were ready.

  “Hooray!” yelled the little mice.

  “Isn’t it great sleeping in a tent, Mr.

  Geronimo?” Miss Angel Paws said.

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